Chapter 5

Daryl left shortly after the dishes were finished. He helped to clean the water mess he and Sophia had created splashing each other. He and Carol had made a little small talk and once again she thanked him for his help. He walked outside and got on his bike, gave one last nod and headed back toward his house.

Pulling up front Merle's truck sat in the drive. It had been almost two weeks since he'd seen him last. Daryl thought it strange how he felt both happiness and dread swirling inside him at the thought of his brother being home. He carried his tools and put them away in the small garage. He frowned at the mess his brother had created obviously looking for something. He'd dumped drawers out on the counters, cabinets left open and the items pushed around. Daryl set to reorganizing, grabbing a beer out of the small fridge he kept for just this purpose. Finally finishing the job he studied the area to make sure he had everything in its place. Cracking open another beer he headed toward the house.

Merle's door was closed, the sound of snoring echoed through the door. Daryl shook his head in his brother's direction and clicked on the television. He turned it down low, and lay his head back on the couch thinking about the time he'd spent with Carol and Sophia. He told himself it was fine, just something he had to do. He couldn't leave a woman and her daughter stranded with a broken down car, and fixing the garbage disposal, well anyone would do that if they knew a single mom couldn't wash dishes in her kitchen. The thing that struck him is the feeling he had when around them. He hadn't felt that way since he was eleven years old. A sense of calm, an odd sense of belonging that was so rare it caused his heart rate to increase even now thinking about it. He thought of the smile, those icy blue eyes, then of the little girl who'd held onto his finger as he led her back into the kitchen after the spilled milk incident. Anger crept in then, filling the space within him, he closed his eyes against their fear, the obvious pain they'd endured at the hand of her now ex-husband. Then a vision of his own father, grabbing him by the shirt collar and lifting him off the ground with a hate filled cold stare.

Daryl jumped as the bedroom door behind him opened. His mind back to the present, he turned quickly and looked at his brother who turned into the bathroom. Daryl stood and headed toward the kitchen. He turned on the oven preheating it for the chicken he had prepped earlier.

"Chicken for dinner bro." Daryl said as he heard the toilet flush and watched Merle walk out zipping up his pants.

"Sounds good little brother." Merle answered, opening the fridge and grabbing a beer for each of them.

Merle leaned against the counter and eyed his brother. A hint of a smile on his face. Daryl raised his eyebrows in response and "What?" He asked quietly, shaking his head at his brother.

"Where you been all day?" Merle asked, guzzling down his beer, keeping his teasing eyes on his brother.

"What?" Daryl said, not as a question, but more of a what are you up to.

"Saw your bike outside this little white house in town, blue flowers at front. It was the same house of that woman and her daughter we took home after she damn near killed you on the street. You letting her make it up to you there little brother?" Merle said making a lewd gesture with his tongue and moving around his hips.

"Best shut up." Daryl said scowling.

"Oohh, that is what is happening. She paying you back all day long huh." Merle continued teasing, then laughing when Daryl pushed him.

"Finish your own damn dinner asshole." Daryl said pushing past him and out of the kitchen.

"C'mon now, don't be like that." Merle finished, the hint of laughter still in his voice. "I'm happy for ya that's all. Didn't think you had it in ya. I'm proud of ya."

Daryl turned and scowled. "Ya never know when to stop."

Daryl opened the door and slammed it closed behind him. He sat on his bed and removed his boots. He heard pots and pans banging in the kitchen, heard the oven door open and close. Daryl grabbed his towel and slid into the bathroom turning on the shower. The hot water helped him relax again. His brother knew how to push his buttons. He focused on the water going down the drain, drowning out any thought or feelings that tried to creep in. The hot water was nearly luke warm now, the sound of the smoke detector blared outside of the bathroom bringing Daryl back to the present.

"Dinner's ready." Merle called as the smoke detector was silenced.

The two men ate dinner in front of the television. Merle turned on racing, and they both watched in silence. When dinner was finished Daryl worked to clean up the kitchen. He saw Merle getting dressed like he was heading out again.

"You ain't stayin?" Daryl said, eyeing his brother sideways.

"Nah, got plans tonight. Meeting a new source, checking out his product. May become business partners down the line." Merle stuffed his gun into his waste band.

"You know, stead a working in that shop for that old man you could come with me. We could split business right down the middle, 50/50. You'd be making loads of money, hell, you'd have your pick of any pussy you wanted. Wouldn't have to settle for a lonely woman and her kid." The look on Merle's face told Daryl he was being serious.

"Nah. I like working at the shop. Plus you know your gonna mess around and get yourself locked up again. I ain't in to all that." Daryl kept his back turned, he knew his brother had tried to get him to go into the drug dealing business with him for years. Daryl hated drugs, what they did to his brother, and that Merle had spent years in and out of prison leaving him alone with their father, and then just alone. Still, Daryl hated to see the look of disappointment on Merle's face each time he turned him down.

"Ain't gonna be like that no more. Cops are in on this shit. They makin a shit ton more working with me that the city pays 'em. Think it over Daryl. I could use you as my wing man. We'd make a great team." Merle grabbed his keys off the table and stood at the door. "Take off your apron brother and come on."

Daryl turned away from the sink and began to dry the dishes, looking his brother in the eye. "Be careful out there man."

Merle nodded as he smiled and turned toward the door. "All these years I tried to make a man outta ya. One of these days you'll make me proud. I'll keep asking, don't worry. Get you out them panties you wearin one day." Merle laughed as the wet towel hit him in the back of the head. The door opened and closed, Merles laughter echoing into the front yard. The truck roared to life, then tires squealed as Merle headed off down the road. Daryl walked over and picked up his thrown towel. He peered out the front window, watching the taillights in the distance. He felt an emptiness pull inside of him as he always did when his brother once again left him alone. Daryl frowned, just like when he was a child he worried as to when he would see him again, if he would see him again. Shaking his head he turned back toward his room. Darkness had fallen, his body felt tired now. He lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. He tried hard to ignore the thoughts of the woman and her daughter, smiles and tears, and the vision of taillights leaving him with a feeling of dread.